Ford f450 questions

Hey guys,
i am considering upgrading to a ford f450 drw 6.0L diesel. can anyone tell me what to look for when buying it used? it has a dump bed. it is a 1997 model. around 67K miles. he is asking $8000, but i think i could talk him down atleast $1000

what kind of gas mileage does it get? from what i see diesel is a little more expensive per gallon, but might run longer.
any information on f450s would be appreciated.

at the moment i have a toyota tundra and is real limited when doing hauling of any kind, like leaves, debris, etc... its a great truck, but i will have to get a trailer or upgrade.
thank you very much

The 6.0 motors are a good motor if they have been fixed. They were designed with far fewer head bolts than what they need. The fix is cheap.

I have the 6.4 F450 drw quad cab and love it. Diesel motors last 3 ~ 4 times what a gas motor will and has way more balls. Gas mileage however might be an issue. I get 8 to 9 miles a gallon hauling a 16 foot enclosed trailer around.

Maintenance is also more expensive when needed. 100 dollar oil changes, but every 5 thousand miles. Will post more later. Am at a theatre.

ok thanks gentlemen. i am not sure the owner has not responded to my email yet. i will let you all know when he responds.
i thought my tundra would get 18 or 20mpg but its getting around 12 average with no trailer.
thank you very much

97 should be the 7.3. Its no powerhouse but it works, expect no better than 15mpg when towing, you may squeak 18 unloaded. Diesel is a solid .75cents hire per gallon here than gasoline, but thats recent. Usually its a full dollar higher. Fuel mileage is so close it wont matter when you get into the expense of the larger brakes, 12qt oil changes and 6 E load range tires.

A 1/2t truck to a 1-1/4t truck is a big step up, do you really need that much truck?